Alessandro Del Piero believes that Arsenal were too willing to sit back after claiming an early 1-0 lead in their Champions League final defeat against Paris Saint-Germain, and claims that Khvicha Kvaratskhelia would win the next Ballon d’Or if it weren’t for the upcoming World Cup.
PSG claimed the Champions League trophy for a second season in a row after defeating Arsenal on penalties in Budapest on Saturday night.
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Kai Havertz gave the Premier League side an early first-half lead, Ousmane Dembele equalised from the penalty spot in the second half, but misses from Ebere Eze and Gabriel Magalhaes in the shoot-out sent the trophy back to Paris.
It has been a season to remember for the Arsenal supporters despite their loss on Saturday evening. This was their first appearance in the Champions League final for 20 years and Riccardo Calafiori and his teammates also claimed the Premier League title for the first time in 22 years this campaign.
Del Piero on Arsenal and Kvaratskhelia’s Champions League final performances
MADRID, SPAIN – MAY 08: Alessandro Del Piero looks on prior to the UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg match between Real Madrid and FC Bayern München at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on May 08, 2024 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
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Reviewing their season while on punditry duty with Sky on Saturday, Del Piero agreed that it has been a fantastic season for Arsenal across the board, but he was critical of the way the team reacted to going 1-0 up against PSG on Saturday.
“They’ve had an extraordinary season,” said Del Piero. “Even if they were a little too submissive after taking the lead tonight in my opinion. But this is the only drawback of what has been a fantastic season.
“Let’s not forget that the Premier League is a very tough division, which takes a lot out of you.”
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – MAY 30: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia of Paris Saint-Germain runs with the ball during the UEFA Champions League Final 2026 match between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal FC at Puskas Arena on May 30, 2026 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
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Among the PSG stars to win back-to-back Champions League titles is former Napoli star Kvaratskhelia.
Assessing his impact, Del Piero said: “If there were no World Cup, Kvaratskhelia would definitely win the Ballon d’Or from the Champions League. Nobody has been as determined as him in terms of goals, assists and performances on the pitch.”
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
